Atari Jaguar

The Atari Jaguar is was introduced in November 1993 as a powerful next generation platform. It was infamously touted as the "first 64-bit system". Competing with Sega and Nintendo's 16-bit consoles, the Jaguar was said to be 64-bit. Back then, "bitness" was an important marketing factor in the gaming industry, just as polygon-pushing power is today. The Jaguar did not work off of a solitary 64-bit processor, but instead had a collection of processors with bus widths ranging from 16 to 64 bits. The bit classification of the Jaguar is still a source of considerable debate today. Consensus exists among those who are familiar with the system hardware that, because Jaguar's main data bus and some of the processors are 64-bit, the entire system can be considered 64 bit. It would otherwise be considered a 32-bit console.

Nonetheless, it was technically superior to the leading 16-bit consoles at the time. Unfortunately, this last ditch effort by Atari to find room in the console market failed. A relatively small number of games were developed for the system, but Atari pulled the plug altogether in 1996. The Jaguar was a minor cult success. Jaguar conventions are held to show off rare unfinished Jaguar games that never made it to the shelves. A development company named Songbird Productions still produces games available for sale on the commercial market.

The Jaguar and the Lynx were the last two Atari systems to be developed, but because the company did not want any direct involvement in hardware production, they were produced by outside contractors. In 1990, Flare Technology, a company formed by Martin Brennan and John Mathieson with Atari funding, said that not only could they make a console far superior to the Sega Genesis or the SNES, but they could also be cost-effective. Atari immediately agreed and the system was released in November 1993 for a sale price of $249.99, under a $500 million manufacturing deal with IBM. The system was initially marketed only in the New York City and the San Francisco Bay areas. A nationwide release followed in early 1994.

The system was marketed under the slogan "Do the Math" (i.e. 32 bit + 32 bit = 64 bit), claiming superiority over competing 16-bit systems. Initially, the system sold well, substantially outselling the highly hyped and publicized 3DO, which was also released during the holiday season of 1993. However, the system was eventually considered a failure, due to a perception of the Jaguar having poor games and an overall lack of software developed. The system was difficult to program for as the hardware had a large number of bugs, including one in the memory controller that stopped some of its processors executing code from the system RAM.

The final nail in the coffin was the release of both the Sony PlayStation in Fall 1995 and the Sega Saturn earlier in the summer. In an interview, Sam Tramiel, CEO of Atari, also touted that the Jaguar was much more powerful than the Saturn and slightly weaker than the PlayStation. He also predicted the price of the PlayStation to be $500 and said that any price from $250 to $300 would be dumping and that Atari would sue to block sales (they never did). The baseless comments were selected as #3 in the Top 25 Dumbest Moments in Gaming.

In a last ditch effort to rescue the Jaguar, Atari tried to play down these two consoles by claiming the Jaguar was the only 64-bit system, causing some controversy. (Some contended that the Jaguar's two 64-bit "processors" were essentially nothing more than graphics accelerators; its GPU was only 32-bit and its CPU was a 16-bit 68000.) This advertising push was futile, and production of the Jaguar stopped after Atari purchased JT Storage in a reverse takeover.

Several peripherals were announced, such as a voice modem and VR headset, but the only peripherals released were the Atari Jaguar CD drive and the JagLink, a simple two-console networking device. Working prototypes of some of the proposed future developments exist (some, such as the Jaguar Voice Modem, in relatively large quantities), and include fully-functional versions of the VR headset, with infrared head-tracking, and a stereo adaptor to allow connection of the Jaguar to a hi-fi system. See Loki and Konix Multisystem for early development.

After Atari was bought out by Hasbro Interactive in the late 1990s, Hasbro released the encryption coding to the Jaguar, finally opening the doors for enthusiasts and hobby programmers to make their own Jaguar games and software, similar to what has happened with another defunct game system, the Sega Dreamcast. Several game companies, including Telegames and Songbird Productions, have not only released previously unfinished materials from the Jaguar's past, but also several brand new titles to satisfy the system's cult following.

Website Temporary Closed

Hello everyone. We are moving to a new, bigger premises so website ordering will be closed for the next month while we move everything to our new building, reorganise and do a full stock take. We will not be taking any orders or able to reply to any messages during this time. We will be open again at the start of December. Many thanks. Console Passion

Buy Atari jaguar For Sale at Console Passion

Only Show Items In Stock

Alien vs Predator - Atari Jaguar (PAL) Choose your weapon and brawl with the notorious warriors of the big screen! Commission the Colonial Marine and use your weapons and your wits to destroy the base - and survive. Be an alien and use your voracious instincts to defend the hive and rescue your Queen. Or play a Predator and use your grisly arsenal to acquire the ultimate trophy. the... Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!	Atari Jaguar Composite Monitor Connecter Boxed - Atari Jaguar The Official Atari Jaguar Composite Monitor Connector. Connect your Jaguar to any TV / Monitor with the appropriate connections. Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!
Atari Jaguar Console Boxed - Atari Jaguar (PAL) The Atari Jaguar Video Computer System. The Atari Jaguar is the world's first 64-bit home console video game. Developed after years of research, the Jaguar offers high-speed action, CD-quality sound, and polygon graphics processing beyond any other machine available. This console comes boxed with controller, base unit, power supply, RF lead... Box is a little tatty Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!	Atari Jaguar Console Loose - Atari Jaguar (PAL) The Atari Jaguar Video Computer System. The Atari Jaguar is the world's first 64-bit home console video game. Developed after years of research, the Jaguar offers high-speed action, CD-quality sound, and polygon graphics processing beyond any other machine available. This console comes unboxed with controller, base unit, power supply &... Includes RGB Scart Lead Box: no Manual: no Sold Out!
Atari Jaguar Controller Boxed - Atari Jaguar The Official Atari Jaguar Controller - boxed. This is an official replacement for the controller that comes packaged with the Atari Jaguar console. This item is boxed and in good working order. Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!	Atari Jaguar Controller Loose - Atari Jaguar The Official Atari Jaguar Controller. This is an official replacement for the controller that comes packaged with the Atari Jaguar console. This item is loose and in good working order. Box: no Manual: no Sold Out!
Atari Jaguar Japanese Alien vs Predator Console Boxed - Atari Jaguar (NTSC-J) The Atari Jaguar Video Computer System. The Atari Jaguar is the world's first 64-bit home console video game. Developed after years of research, the Jaguar offers high-speed action, CD-quality sound, and polygon graphics processing beyond any other machine available. This is a very rare Japanese console. It plays all PAL and US games and works on... Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!	Atari Jaguar Official Gamers Guide - Atari Jaguar Detailed and easy-to-read chapters make finding the answers to all your Jaguar gaming questions a breeze. Complete walkthroughs for a variety of Jaguar games. Crammed with tips, stategies, techniques and maps. Hundreds of extra-large screen shots complete with informative (and occasionally humorous) captions. Interviews with Jaguar designers and... Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!
Atari Jaguar RF Unit Boxed - Atari Jaguar The official RF Leads for the Atari Jaguar. Used to connect your Atari Jaguar to your TV's RF port. This item is fully tested and comes boxed and with instructions. Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!	Atari Jaguar Scart Cable Loose - Atari Jaguar Atari Jaguar Scart Lead. This cable outputs full stereo sound to your TV instead of Mono, and gives improved picture quality as there is no interference and the TV set does not need tuning in! This item is unboxed and in good working order. Box: no Manual: no Sold Out!
Atari Jaguar Team Tap Boxed - Atari Jaguar The Official Atari Jaguar Controller. The team-tap is an absolute must for anyone with a group of friends who also love retro gaming. You can connect an extra four controllers to your joystick port, allowing team play on certain games. This item comes boxed with it's instructions Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!	Atari Jaguar Unbranded New RF Lead Loose - Atari Jaguar An unbranded but brand new RF lead that will substitute the one that came with your console. Connects your machine to the TV - an ideal replacement if the original one that came with your console is lost or faulty. Length is one metre. This item is fully tested and is brand new. Box: no Manual: no Price: £6
Atari Karts - Atari Jaguar (PAL) A go-cart free for all! In Atari Karts you'll race around the track with some of the craziest creatures around. Watch out for the objects lying on the road. Some are bonuses that will help you get ahead, but those hazards can be nasty. They'll cause you to slow down or mess with your driving controls. Try to outdistance your competition and finish... Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!	Attack of the Mutant Penguins - Atari Jaguar (PAL) Wade in and kick some Penguin butt! In the distant galaxy of Bleurggh, an evil (but reasonably stupid) band of aliens picked up some of Earth's television signals. Unfortunately for them, they could only tune in a wildlife program. They figured the Earth would be a pushover to invade, so they disguised themselves as it's inhabitants -... Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!
Breakout 2000 - Atari Jaguar (PAL) SMASH! POW! CRUNCH! Is your handeye coordination up to demolishing field after field of bricks? Breakout 2000 brings back the nostalgia of early gaming days but adds 90's challenges, such as a three-dimensional field and bricks that resist break. Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!	Brutal Sports Football - Atari Jaguar (PAL) Do you like action but reckon that chainsaw massacres are for grannies tea parties? If you do then Brutal Sports Football is for you, league, knockout or unfriendly tournaments. Football with a new set of rules - No Rules! Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!
Bubsy - Atari Jaguar (PAL) Bubsy to the rescue! Only Bubsy can protect the world's kids from these silly stories and tangled up tales as he leaps and bounds his way through fifteen frantic chapters of fabulous furry fun. In Fairytale land, Bubsy attends a twisted tea party, climbs a giant beanstalk, voyages under the sea (without getting his paws wet), heads to Ali... Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!	Cannon Fodder - Atari Jaguar (PAL) Don't wait 'til you see the whites of their eyes. don't kid yourself it will be over by Christmas. don't try to shut out the screams. and don't forget to wash your hands afterwards. Cannon Fodder - war has never been so much fun! Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!
Checkered Flag - Atari Jaguar (PAL) Get ready to burn rubber! Race for the Checkered Flag behind the wheel of a turbo powered speedway racer in real-time, 3D rendered action. Choose from 10 high performance tracks and see the speedway from 6 distinct views. Alter features and attributes on your racer to improve your times or even change the weather conditions. Action so intense and... Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!	Club Drive - Atari Jaguar (PAL) Sure, you've always wanted to blaze down the streets of San Francisco in a souped-up hot rod, just like in those action movies. But have you ever wanted to scramble across the living room floor playing tag in a miniature racing car with a buddy? Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!
Cybermorph - Atari Jaguar (PAL) To counter the numerical superiority of the Pernitia Empire and win the war, the Federation perfects "living steel" weapons, quickly shipping them to the besieged front. Unfortunately, a Pernitian raid has stolen the security pods, and only their recovery can stop the fall of the Federation. Operation Cybermorph is activated; you must... Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!	Defender 2000 - Atari Jaguar (PAL) You whomped the aliens from the Alpha Proximian Empire in classic Defender and sent them home to cry. Now they want the planets that Earth is mining for desperately needed, life-sustaining minerals. Your job is to protect the space miners as they perform their vital work. The aliens will try to capture them and use their life-energy to turn... Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!
Dino Dudes - Atari Jaguar (PAL) As the proud leader of the Dino Dudes, it's up to you to lead your hairy band of Cro-Magnons to the top of the food chain. Discover fire, weapons, The Wheel. battle dinosaurs and rival tribesmen. and do everything you can to survive - so your kids and someday invent cool stuff like malls, video games and of course, the bacon double-... Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!	Doom - Atari Jaguar (PAL) From the outside of the base you hear the carnage: guns firing, men screaming, bones cracking. then silence. Suddenly you're the last surviving marine thrust into a bloody, gore-ridden underworld fifty million miles into the future. It's Doom to the 64th power with 16-bit true colour, advanced lighting effects. and some new parts of Hell... Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!
Double Dragon - Atari Jaguar (PAL) Twelve big, lightening fast characters, four to six special moves for each fighter, set your own strength, defence, etc. Three different fighting modes, secret moves and codes, customisable controls, unique final moves, one hundred and thirty sound effects, hot rock music tracks. Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!	Dragon - The Bruce Lee Story - Atari Jaguar (PAL) The spirit of marital arts master Bruce Lee lives on in dragon: a dangerously life-like combat simulation game based on his bibliographical film. Apply discipline and a devastating array of age-old fighting techniques to subdue opponents more cunning than the real Bruce Lee ever faced. unite your spiritual and physical strength to confront The... Box: yes Manual: yes Sold Out!

Log on

Facebook Log on

One-click login with your Facebook account

	Save time
	One-click login

Just In!

Iron Soldier

- Atari Jaguar (PAL)

The Iron Soldier, or I.S., is a forty-two foot tall piloted robot that has been stolen from the Iron Fist Corporation by a bunch of rebels. they want you to pilot it. Arm yourself with a giant Assault Rifle, Oil-drum sized Hand Grenades, or other...

more info

View all Atari Jaguar products